Jeannette Cooperman at The Common Reader:
Why do I drink? “I like the taste” is a wan excuse, but I do. With my birthday filet mignon and dark chocolate cake, I want a velvety cabernet sauvignon, not chalky milk. For our ritual Friday night pepperoni pizza, I prefer cold beer to water. I love a chilled white wine with Indian curry or Chinese food, a Guinness with a burger, and champagne for any celebration. The cork’s airy pop is triumphant, and even the bubbles seem excited for you.
There is suspense in a slow corkscrew; poetry in a good wine list. God, I sound like a heroin addict rhapsodizing about the needle. But I do love all the accoutrements and arguments: how much foam should top a pilsner, is it better to age in a bourbon or sherry cask, and should that martini be shaken or stirred, dirty or pure? Over the centuries, drinking has accrued pearly layers of significance, becoming a symbolic and cultural ritual.
More here.
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